The present invention relates generally to the field of imaging and in particular to a system and method of simulated image reconstruction as a means of reducing transmission bandwidth demands.
Intelligence gathering platforms such as manned and unmanned aircraft and satellites are utilized to collect images of terrain and manmade features (e.g., structures, vehicles, etc.) on the Earth""s surface. Synthetic aperture radar, electro-optical sensor, infrared sensor, real beam ground map, doppler beam sharpening, or another imaging technique now known and later developed is typically used to generate frames of imagery of areas of interest that include specific targets that may be arrayed therein. To be useful for reconnaissance and surveillance purposes, high-resolution images are typically required. The captured high-resolution images are typically transmitted from the platform to a surface-based station via a communication data link either directly via line-of-sight transmission or indirectly via satellite. Because of the volume of data associated with high-resolution images and the limited availability of data link bandwidth that is typically shared with other users and applications, the image transmission usually requires a relatively large time window and can dominate the bandwidth of a given data link. In some instances, such dominance of the available bandwidth impedes the transmission of other critical data to an unacceptable degree.
A need has arisen to solve the high bandwidth demand and long transmission time problems associated with communicating high-resolution images (e.g., for reconnaissance or surveillance purposes) and related information from airborne or space-based platforms to a surface-based station.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a system includes a storage medium storing contextual information about a target, and a simulator communicatively coupled to the storage medium and operable to receive the contextual information. The simulator is operable to generate a set of simulated information about the target using the contextual information. The system further includes a sensor operable to collect a set of actual information about the target. A comparator is operable to generate a set of delta information in response to a difference between the set of simulated information and the set of actual information.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, an imaging system includes an imaging sensor on board a moving platform and is operable to generate an actual image of a target area, a storage medium on board the moving platform that stores contextual information about the target area both natural and manmade, and at least one current conditions sensor operable to determine at least one measurement of current conditions of the moving platform and the imaging sensor. A physics-based imaging sensor simulator on board the moving platform is communicatively coupled to the storage medium and the at least one current conditions sensor and is operable to generate a simulated image of the target area using the contextual information and the at least one current condition measurement. A comparator is operable to generate image deltas in response to a difference between the simulated image and the actual image.
The system further comprises a communications link transmitting the set of delta information (i.e., image deltas) and current conditions of the moving platform and the operable imaging sensor (recorded at the time of actual information collection) to a base station. A second physics-based sensor performance simulator at the remote location is communicatively coupled to a second storage medium and is operable to receive contextual information about the target area, and is operable to generate a second simulated image of the target area. An adder is operable to add the set of received delta information (i.e., image deltas) to the second simulated image and generate a set of reconstructed information substantially similar to the set of actual information (i.e., the actual image).
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method includes the steps of capturing a current image of a target area, comparing the current image with a previous image of that same target area, generating an image delta of the target area in response to the comparison, transmitting the image delta to a remote location, and adding the image delta to the previously received or reconstructed image of the target area, and generating a simulated current image of the target area at the remote location.
The method further includes the steps of collecting current information about the target area, comparing the current information with previous information about the target area, generating delta information about the target area, transmitting the delta information about the target area to a remote location, and then adding the delta information to previous information about the target area and generating simulated current information about the target area at the remote location.